Brookings Health System Foundation to Hold Eighth Annual Aiming to Inspire Health Fundraiser

  • June 21, 2017

Proceeds to Fund Police Vehicle Defibrillators

Brookings Police Department Patrol Officer Damian Weets holds one of the current portable AED units purchased in 2001 for department vehicles. Brookings Health System Foundation plans to raise funds at its eighth annual Aiming to Inspire Health sporting clays tournament to replace the old technology with state-of-the-art AEDs to better serve the community.
Brookings Police Department Patrol Officer Damian Weets holds one of the current portable AED units purchased in 2001 for department vehicles. Brookings Health System Foundation plans to raise funds at its eighth annual Aiming to Inspire Health sporting clays tournament to replace the old technology with state-of-the-art AEDs to better serve the community.

Brookings Health System Foundation will hold the eighth annual Aiming to Inspire Health sporting clays fundraiser, presented by First Bank & Trust, on Thursday, Aug. 10 from 3 to 8 p.m. at Medary Creek Hunt Club, rural Aurora, S.D.

Proceeds from the 2017 event will help purchase new portable Automated External Defibrillators (AED) for Brookings Police Department vehicles. AED units are easy-to-operate tools for individuals without a medical background to help treat sudden cardiac arrest and analyze the heart’s rhythm. If necessary, they deliver an electrical shock, known as defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm.

“Law enforcement officers often serve as first responders to a medical situation so we continually train our officers how to use AEDs,” said Brookings Chief of Police Jeff Miller. “Thanks to this funding from Brookings Health System Foundation we can upgrade our vehicles to the most current AEDs and our officers can continue to help save lives.”

According to the American Red Cross, sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. An AED is the only effective treatment for restoring regular heart rhythm during sudden cardiac arrest. Time is of the essence. For each minute defibrillation is delayed, a person’s chance of survival decreases by approximately 10 percent.

“Cardiac arrest can happen to any of us, at any time, and at any age,” said Foundation Director Barb Anderson. “This is a perfect opportunity for Brookings Health System and the Foundation to partner with the community in support of new medical emergency equipment for the Brookings Police Department.”

Families, businesses, youths and adults are encouraged to take part in the event. Participants will receive a meal served by Hy-Vee, ammunition provided by Runnings and over $2000 in prizes will be awarded.

Deadline for registrations is July 28 but Anderson encourages those interested to act now. “We already have 20 teams confirmed and registration is limited to the first 35 teams or 140 shooters,” she said.  

In addition to First Bank & Trust, Runnings and Hy-Vee, event sponsors to date include Dacotah Bank; Larson Manufacturing; Kraus-Anderson Construction; Avera Medical Group Brookings; Banner Associates; Thompson Electric; 3M Brookings; Mills Construction; Valero Renewables; US Foods; Kerry’s Landscaping; Dimensional Insight; Helsper, McCarty & Rasmussen; Kjergaard Sports; Kone Elevators; Bowes Construction; Cubby’s Sports Bar & Grill; Scheels Sioux Falls; Sanford Brookings; Midwest Glass; Metropolitan Mechanical; The Exchange; Brother’s Pharmacy; Back In Motion Chiropractic; Iberdrola Renewables; Century Business Products; Basin Electric Power Cooperative; Twin City Fan and Tessier’s.

To sponsor the event or to register to participate in the event, contact Anderson at (605) 696-8855 or foundation@brookingshealth.org. A registration form is available online at www.brookingshealth.org/foundation.

About Brookings Health System

Brookings Health System, located in Brookings, South Dakota, includes the 49-bed Brookings Hospital, the 79-bed The Neighborhoods at Brookview nursing home, Brookhaven Estates senior living apartments, Yorkshire Eye Clinic, and medical clinics in Arlington, White and Volga, South Dakota. It is a non-profit, city-owned facility that offers the community a full range of inpatient, outpatient, surgical and extended care services. The emergency room is staffed 24 hours a day and provides around the clock patient needs ranging from minor injuries to life threatening crises. For more information about the services offered at Brookings Health System, please call (605) 696-9000 or visit us on the Web at brookingshealth.org.

About Brookings Health System Foundation

The mission of Brookings Health System Foundation is “Inspiring people to support Brookings Health System through philanthropy, recognizing the vital role of local healthcare in sustaining quality of life in our community.” Gifts to the Foundation support charity health care for those less fortunate, health and wellness education, facility, equipment, and technology upgrades and other needs as they arise at Brookings Health System. For more information about Brookings Health System Foundation or how you may contribute, please contact Foundation Director Barb Anderson at (605) 696-8855 or foundation@brookingshealth.org.